Chapter 6 WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

Ryan barely looked up when the office door opened.

“Damn,” Axel said as he walked in. “You look terrible.”

Ryan continued signing the document in front of him. “Nice to see you too.”

Axel dropped into the chair opposite the desk and loosened his tie. “I mean it. You look like you haven’t slept properly in days.”

“I haven’t.”

Axel studied him quietly for a second.

Ryan looked different lately. Sharper somehow. The softness that used to sit naturally on his face had thinned out over the past week. His jaw looked tighter now, his expression harder to read. Still handsome though.

Tall. Lean build. His dark hair is always slightly messy no matter how polished he dressed. Calm eyes that usually carried restraint even when angry.

Jace had charisma.

Ryan had presence.

Different things entirely.

Axel leaned back. “You punched him?”

Ryan finally looked up. “News travels fast.”

“That kind of news flys.”

Ryan tossed the signed paper aside. “He deserved worse.”

Axel smirked slightly. “That part I agree with.”

Ryan stood and walked toward the glass wall overlooking the city.

Below, traffic crawled endlessly.

Axel watched him carefully. “How about it?”

Ryan knew what he meant.

“The proposition?”

Axel nodded.

Ryan slipped one hand into his pocket. “One chairman. One controlling stake.”

“And the loser?”

“Ten percent.”

Axel whistled quietly. “Mark really wants blood.”

Ryan gave a dry laugh. “He wants entertainment.”

“You think Jace saw it coming?”

“No……..but it will benefit him”

Axel crossed one leg over the other. “So what’s your move?”

Ryan turned slightly. “What makes you think I have one?”

“Because you’re sitting in your office instead of drinking yourself unconscious.”

Ryan looked at him for a moment before speaking.

“Construction has been undervalued for years.”

Axel raised a brow. “Go on.”

“Everyone focuses on Energy because it produces immediate numbers.”

“But?”

Ryan walked back toward the desk slowly.

“Construction controls physical leverage.”

Axel’s expression shifted slightly.

Ryan continued.

“Road networks. Industrial sites. Logistics routes. Housing developments. Ports. Government infrastructure contracts.”

“Long-term assets.”

“Yes.”

Axel nodded slowly now.

Ryan opened a file on his desk and slid it over.

Axel looked through it briefly.

“This is LA East?”

Ryan nodded.

“The government has been delaying approval for almost a year. They’re about to reopen bidding.”

Axel looked back at him. “You want it.”

“I need it.”

“That project alone would shift valuation massively.”

“I know.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair. “The Energy division focuses on external expansion. Jace doesn’t pay attention to domestic infrastructure unless it affects him directly.”

Axel stared at him for a second.

Then smiled slowly.

“There you are.”

Ryan frowned slightly. “What?”

“That look.”

“What look?”

“The one that says you’ve finally stopped sulking and started thinking.”

Ryan ignored that.

Axel leaned forward. “You really think you can beat him?”

Ryan’s voice stayed calm. “I think people underestimate construction because the results take longer.”

Ryan sat back down.

Axel tapped the folder lightly. “You’ll need political support for this project.”

“I know.”

“And funding.”

“I know.”

“And manpower.”

Ryan looked unimpressed. “You enjoy stating obvious things.”

Axel laughed.

“That’s why I’m useful.”

Ryan shook his head slightly.

Axel’s expression softened after a moment. “You really loved her?”

Ryan’s face changed.

“Yeah.”

Axel sighed. “That bad?”

“She made me look stupid.”

Axel corrected. “She betrayed you.”

Ryan looked away briefly.

Axel continued carefully. “You know everybody already knows about them, right?”

Ryan’s jaw tightened.

“The office talks too much.”

Silence returned briefly.

Then Axel leaned back again.

“So,” he said casually, “what exactly are we doing about your tragic emotional state?”

Ryan gave him a flat look. “We?”

“Yes, we. I’m your friend. Unfortunately.”

“I’m working.”

“The point is not to turn into a miserable corporate robot before thirty.”

Ryan rubbed his temple lightly. “I’m not in the mood for this.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here…….I did some stuff though in your consideration.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes slightly. “What did you do?”

Axel grinned devilishly.

Ryan immediately looked annoyed. “Axel.”

“Relax.”

“What did you do?”

“I brought a gift.”

Ryan stared at him.

“A gift……To help you forget Lisa.”

Ryan blinked once.

Then laughed quietly in disbelief.

“You’re insane.”

“She’s beautiful….. she's a good fuck too.”

“I don’t care.”

“She’s discreet.”

“I still don’t care.”

Axel shrugged. “Worth trying.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair. “You brought a whore?”

“A high-end escort,” Axel corrected.

“Different branding, same job.”

Ryan shook his head slowly. “Get her out.”

“You haven’t even seen her.”

“I don’t want to.”

Axel sighed dramatically. “You’re making recovery difficult.”

“I’m not sleeping with some random woman because Lisa cheated.”

“Why not?”

Ryan gave him a look.

Axel raised both hands. “I’m serious.”

“I am past that life”

Axel said, pointing at him, “That is exactly your problem.”

Ryan frowned slightly.

“You get attached too easily.”

“That’s your diagnosis?”

“Yes.”

Then Axel stood.

Ryan frowned slightly. “Where are you going?”

“To stop arguing for you.”

“I already said no.”

“You say no to everything before eventually agreeing.”

“That’s not true.”

Ryan rubbed his jaw lightly.

Axel headed toward the door.

“Thirty minutes,” he said.

“I’m serious, Axel.”

“So am I.”

The door opened.

Then closed behind him.

Ryan exhaled slowly and looked down at the documents on his desk again.

But he wasn’t reading anymore.

His mind drifted briefly until his phone buzzed.

A message from Marie.

“The investors from Australia confirmed Thursday’s meeting.”

Ryan replied quickly.

Good.

Then another message came immediately.

“You should go home early today”

Ryan stared at the screen briefly before locking the phone.

A knock came moments later.

Ryan looked up.

The door opened slowly.

And she walked in.

Axel had not exaggerated.

She was beautiful.

A slutty dress that exposed her full cleavage. Smooth skin. Her eyes moved across the office carefully before settling on him.

Ryan stood automatically.

The woman smiled slightly.

“So,” she said softly, closing the door behind her, “you’re Ryan.”

Up close, she looked even more striking. Elegant without trying too hard. Her perfume reached him lightly, expensive but subtle.

Ryan cleared his throat slightly. “Axel told you why you’re here?”

“He told me enough.”

She smiled faintly at that.

“You don’t seem excited.”

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“And yet you didn’t send me away.”

Ryan looked at her quietly for a second.

Fair point.

She walked further into the office slowly, heels quiet against the floor.

“You’re handsome,” she said casually.

Ryan gave a short laugh. “That was direct.”

“I don’t like wasting time.”

She stopped near the desk.

“You look tired though.”

“I’ve had a long week.”

“Bad breakup?”

Ryan looked at her.

Axel talked too much.

She noticed the expression immediately.

“Sorry,” she said lightly. “Occupational guessing.”

Ryan sat back down slowly.

“Do you do this often?”

“Meet emotionally unavailable

rich men?”

Despite himself, Ryan smiled slightly.

“Something like that.”

“Yes.”

Silence settled briefly.

Then she tilted her head slightly.

“So,” she asked softly, “what’s her name?”

He hesitated before answering, “Lisa”

“When I am done with you, you won't remember her again.”, she said, walking over to him.